Each year more and more patients are using CBD creams and oils to wean themselves off of prescription opiates and tranquilizers drugs. However, there is still a lot of confusion out there about CBD, a form of medical cannabis, and for some folks, the topic is still controversial.
This blog, a doctor’s guide for patients, will dispel some of the myths about CBD as it answers the questions:
What is CBD?
What is it used for?
Where can I get CBD that’s 100% legal and certified for quality and dosing accuracy?
What is CBD?
CBD is a natural healing compound extracted from the cannabis plant, a variety of the plant that’s commonly called hemp.
The hemp plant grows tall and skinny and has little to no THC, the psychoactive component. That’s why CBD, one of the main healing compounds found in hemp, is called “cannabis without the high.”
Some of the more common uses for CBD oils and creams include reducing pain and inflammation. That makes them ideal for treating arthritis, especially arthritis of the hands. Chronic pain patients are now using CBD to reduce their opiate consumption by 50% or more. A recent study in a Rheumatology journal reported that CBD not only reduced arthritic pain but also lowered anxiety.
Medical Caution: Patients on blood thinners like coumadin should use CBD with caution as it may enhance the effect of anti-coagulants.
Gastro-Intestinal Uses
Another place where CBD can be the best medicine is in the GI tract — the stomach and intestines. Patients with IBS and Crohn’s Disease can especially benefit.
Studies have shown that patients with Crohn’s disease had “a reduction in pain sensation, nausea and feelings of unpleasantness.”
FDA Approved for Seizures in Children
Perhaps CBD’s greatest use so far is in protecting the brain and nervous system. That has lead to new treatments for seizures and even Alzheimer’s dementia.
CBD’s neuro-protective effect has been extensively studied, leading the FDA in 2018 to approve CBD for treating seizures in children with severe seizure disorders, like Dravet Syndrome. It is a natural plant derivative with a low side-effect profile. It works, does not make children high and, in some cases, has been life-saving.
What’s the difference between Hemp and Marijuana?
I mentioned that the hemp plant is tall and skinny with little to no THC. It’s fibers are used in industry to make clothing and even the dashboards of new BMWs.
The plant that is short and bushy and whose flowers are high in THC content, has commonly been called marijuana, a term with an anti-Hispanic past. A better name is cannabis. It’s best to use the medical terms, the scientific terms, like cannabis indica and cannabis sativa.
THC AND CBD
The cannabis plant contains over 100 natural compounds, many of which have healing properties. Two of the most abundant of these are THC and CBD.
THC is the familiar compound that produces the euphoria, the high — the psycho-active component of cannabis.
Less familiar is CBD, or cannabis without the high — but with healing medicinal properties. Think of CBD as a natural herbal remedy, a natural peoples pharmacy with many uses — including chronic pain, anxiety, psoriasis, seizures, and many other conditions.
Oil, Tincture or Salve?
CBD comes in a dizzying array of products. Two of the most popular are oils and creams.
CBD oils are taken by mouth with a typical starting dose being 25- 50 mg.
Tinctures are squirted under the tongue. They are used sublingually for maximum absorption and effect and are especially good at bedtime for insomnia.
Topicals
Some of my favorite CBD products are the topicals — CBD creams or salves for pain relief.
Massage therapists are using CBD Salve to relieve neck and back pain. If I had arthritis in my hands, that’s what I would use instead of reaching for anti-inflammatory pills which can cause GI bleeding and allergic reactions.
Because of the anti-inflammatory effect, CBD is being used for skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. You can often use CBD creams as a substitute for topical steroids. It’s helping patients get off of steroid and toxic prescription drugs like methotrexate, a chemotherapy drug.
Where is the best place to get CBD?
CBD seems available on every street corner nowadays. However, since there is a lack of regulation, you may not know what you’re getting.
Has it been lab tested?
Was the CBD extracted using harsh chemical solvents?
Is it legal in all 50 states?
Worse still, many products don’t work because they contain only a trace amount of CBD — 5-10 mg.
So if you try CBD, you want it to legal, preferably organically grown and tested for quality and purity.
I recommend CBD products from the Kannaway company, a subsidiary of Medical Marijuana, Inc. — the first publicly traded cannabis company on the US stock market. Dr. Stuart Titus, President, has been at the forefront of CBD and medical cannabis research for years. I use their products in my holistic practice.
Why Kannaway?
3 reasons:
First and foremost, Kannaway products are legal. Not all cannabis products are. They have been approved by the DEA for shipment to all 50 states.
Secondly, a top concern for patients is purity. Kannaway products are extracted from hemp that’s grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Finally, their products are the highest quality and triple lab tested for ingredients to ensure accuracy of dosage.
Next Steps
Visit my website for more info and links to CBD products.
While you’re there sign up for my free alternative med newsletter and check out my latest book on Amazon:
Alternative Pain Relief: A Pill-Free Tool Kit.
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